TROWBRIDGE & DISTRICT LEAGUE SPRING CUP FINAL: Bees buzzing but Lacock lose third final

TROWBRIDGE & DISTRICT LEAGUE SPRING CUP FINAL: Bees buzzing but Lacock lose third final

AFTER suffering defeat to first division runners-up Westbury United Reserves in this season’s A&B and Knockout Cup finals, Joe Martin arrived at Meadow Lane on Friday evening hoping that his Lacock FC side would end their cup hoodoo with victory over Trowbridge Town Reserves in the final of this season’s EJ Shanley & Son-sponsored Spring Cup.

But once again there was more cup heartache for Martin’s side as they were beaten 4-1 by a Trowbridge side who played an hour of the match with 10 players after they had keeper John Wiltshire sent off on 32 minutes.

Dave Jenkins' Reserves, who had not beaten Lacock in any of their three previous encounters this term, made a dream start and were 1-0 up inside the first minute.

Lacock keeper Joe King was at fault for the goal, after rushing to the edge of his area he was calmly beaten by 17-year-old Harry Waylan who lifted the ball over King for his first of the evening.

Things got better for Trowbridge just three minutes later, a surging run into the area from livewire Waylan saw him curl an excellent effort onto the crossbar, the ball falling to Zach Manna whose shot went in off the unfortunate Kevin Hodgkinson to make it 2-0.

Lacock were all over the place and struggling to get a foothold in the game and were fortunate not to concede a third in the 15th minute when a Kieran Mills effort cannoned off Andy Wilkins and with keeper King well beaten the ball dropped wide of the target.

Trowbridge extended their lead on the 18th minute, again it was keeper King who was at fault for the goal and again it was Waylan who profited from the error when his harmless-looking shot from 25 yards caught the keeper out of position and after a couple of bounces crept home for 3-0.

Midway through the half Lacock had a great chance to reduce the arrears, Adam Shipman crossing for Jake Marshall who scooped his effort from eight yards over the bar.

At the other end Waylan was on for his hat-trick but was denied by keeper King. Zack Manna should have added number four for Trowbridge in the 30th minute but with only the keeper to beat he lifted his shot over both King and the crossbar.

With Trowbridge threatening to run away with the game, Lacock were thrown a lifeline on 32 minutes when they were awarded what seemed to be a harsh penalty.

Keeper Wiltshire raced from his area and brought down Stuart Tutty, Wiltshire as the last man was rightly shown the red card for the foul, although the incident looked to have happened outside of the area.

After consulting with his assistant referee Neil Baker, referee Neil Hawker pointed to the spot.

The first thing replacement keeper Gareth Evans had to do was pick the ball out of the net after Hodgkinson sent him the wrong way from 12 yards. Graham Griffiths was the unlucky player sacrificed to make way for Evans.

Although a man down, Trowbridge pushed forward looking for a fourth before the break and were denied by King who did well to beat away a long range drive from Kieran Mills on 38 minutes.

After that the half belonged to Lacock, keeper Evans was almost undone at his near post but he was able to push a Marshall shot onto the post.

On the stroke of half time, Darrin Moss had a great chance to narrow the gap but after beating his marker he failed to test the keeper with a shot that sailed wide of the target.

The half time break gave Trowbridge the time they needed to regroup and from the start of the second period they had to weather a Lacock storm as the villagers looked for a way back into the game.

But some solid defending from the Bees saw them repel anything Lacock threw at them and in truth for a second final in a row Lacock failed to make their numerical advantage count.

Martin’s side had to wait until the 64th minute before having their first real chance of pulling a goal back, Darrin Moss brilliantly controlled the ball but his end product was way of target as he blasted over from close range.

A series of corners for Lacock followed but apart from a Stuart Tutty header dropping just wide they failed to produce a much-needed second goal.

With 15 minutes remaining it was little surprise that it was Lacock who were camped in the Trowbridge half, but the Bees seemed happy to soak up the pressure as their was no end product as Lacock huffed and puffed as they looked for a way back into the game.

On 75 minutes they saw another chance go begging with Stuart Tutty being inches away from connecting with an Adam Shipman cross and a few minutes later keeper Evans did just enough to divert a Tutty cross away from a clutch of Lacock players who were cuing up for the chance to score.

With the 90 minutes almost up, Trowbridge broke clear and Ollie Gee threaded a pass to Harry Waylan who capped a great night with another fine finish to complete his hat-trick that finally killed of any Lacock hopes.

Roxi Meaden presented the match mementoes to the match officials and both sets of players with Barry Holloway, in possibly his last-ever game, lifting the Spring Cup and it was little surprise that the player of the final award went to Waylan.

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